Ladder.



A. BROWN.

Patented May 19, 1914.

amuewlioz wi bneooeo ALBERT BROWN, OF RIUHWOOD, WEST VIRGINIA.

LADDER.

Application filed September 533, 1813.

To all whom it may, concern:

Be it known that T, ALBERT BROWN, a citizen of the United States residing at .Richwood, in the county of llicholas and State of "West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ladders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to foldable ladders used as fire-escapes and for other purposes; and it consists in the novel construction and combination of the parts forming such ladder as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

in the drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of a portion of a ladder constructed according to this invention. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a cross-section through one of the rungs showing the con nection of the wire link, and drawn to a larger scale.

A stationary support 2 is provided, and it may be a window sill. Eyes 3 are secured to the support 2, and 4% are links formed of wire and pivoted together and to the two outer eyes These links form the side portions of the ladder. Each link a is formed of wire and has an eye 5 at one end. The links are all alike, but the first or top pair of links is inverted, so that the eyes 5 hang downwardly and engage pivotally with the eyes 5 of the next pair or" links. The remaining links all have their eyes 5 at their upper ends. Each link has an eye 6 at its other end from the eye 5. The ladder is provided with angle-shaped rungs 8 having horizontal top portions 9 and vertical rear portions. The top portions 9 have holes 1.0, and the straight portion of each link is passed through one of the holes 10. The eye 6 is formed by bending the link to form the eye and then twisting the doubled portion 01" the wire to form a coil 12 which bears against the rung. More than one coil 12 may be provided if desired. The end portion of the wire is then passed behind the vertical rear portion of the rung, and is wound upon the straight portion of the link, on the other side of the rung from the eye 6, to form the coils 1 1-. The vertical portion of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 19, 1914. Serial No. 791,313.

the rung is inclosed in the loop 15 thus formed between the coils 12 and 14-, so that the rung cannot turn over. The hole 10 pre vents the rung from sliding endwise in the loop, as it engages with the straight part 01" the link.

The rungs are spaced at substantially equal distances apart, the top rung being arranged as close as possible to the support 2. The second rung 18 is shorter than the other rungs and it is suspended pivotally under the first rung by means of auxiliary links 19 which are also formed of wire. The top rung has also an additional central support pivoted to the central supporting eye, and having an eye 20 at its lower end, and coils 21 and 22 for engaging with the rung.

Diagonally arranged wire stays 24: are provided, and are arranged between the eye 20 and the eyes at the top of the second pair of links. These stays prevent the ladder from swinging laterally, and the second rung is made shorter than the remaining rungs, and is provided with separate links, to permit the use of the stays 2st and also to permit the first rung to be arranged at the top of the ladder close to the support 2, and to permit all the side links at to be alike in structure. When the ladder is not in use it is folded up, and may be inclosed in any suitable box or case secured to the support 2, so as to protect the ladder from the weather.

hat I claim is:

1. In a ladder, the combination, with a series of wire links arranged in pairs and pivoted together, of angle-shaped rungs secured between the pairs of links and having horizontal portions provided with holes, each link having at one end portion a loop which incloses the vertical portion of one Of the rungs and enga with one of its said holes, each link having also coils arranged above and below the rung at the ends of the said loop and bearing against the rung.

2. In a ladder, the combination, with a series of wire links arranged in pairs and pivoted together, all the said links being similar to each other but the first pair at the top of the ladder being inverted, of a stationary support having the first pair of links pivoted to it, a top rung secured to the upper end portions of the first pair of links,

rungs secured to the lower end portions of In testimony whereof I have affixed my the remainlng pairs of links, diagonal stays signature in the presence of two Witnesses. secured to the top rung and t0 the joints 4 v T between the fir t and second pairs of hnks, ALBERT BRO and an intermediate rung provided With an Witnesses: auxiliary pair of links which suspend it be- L. T. EDDY, tween the first and third rungs of the ladder. T. L. FALOR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

